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Star rating:Heat rating:

Single mom Eden Harwood has a lively daughter, a blooming business—and a juicy secret she’s hung on to for ten years. She doesn’t mind a bit that there’s no room for romance in her whirlwind life . . . until six-foot-infinity, smoldery-eyed, bass-voiced Gabe Caldera reminds her of what she might be missing.

The principal of Hellcat Elementary is usually knee-deep in fawning PTA moms, but Gabe only has eyes for the fiery, funny, skittish redhead who barely knows he’s alive. But this ex-Navy SEAL never fails to get what he wants. And what he wants is to fan those sparks between him and Eden into the kind of bonfire you can see two counties away.

The passion is explosive . . . and the tenderness has them thinking about forever. But when Eden’s past waltzes into town for a reckoning, her secret blows them apart. Still, Gabe will never back down from a fight . . . especially if the ultimate prize is Eden’s heart.

The Faerie Queen’s review

Again, I have been surprised and delighted by a book. I mean, I was already on board for a book about a single mom and a principal – just think of the sexual fantasies wrapped up in that one – but I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did. If I ever become a single mom, I want to be Eden and have hot-as-sin relationship with the principal. Plus, then I’d have the coolest kid and some awesome family around me.

Because, honestly, Annelise was awesome. She’s 10, she’s clever, she’s polite, and she has an awesome relationship with her mom. They’re friends. And, you know what they say, kids say the darnedest things, which applies to Annelise 100%. I know, I know. A romance book shouldn’t be all about a kid, but 1 of my stars is genuinely because of what a great character Annelise is.

Three of those stars are all for Eden and Gabe. Their relationship develops in short bursts because adulting is hard and being a single mom and small business owner (you go, girl!) is busy work. I loved how they would be interrupted repeatedly mid sentence and then pick up right where they left off in their next interaction. Plus, both were genuinely such lovely people, both hardworking and caring and dedicated.

The first time they get naked together came as a surprise to me, but holy shit was it hot. AND there’s a scene where the dirty talk was all about having time. Time! Because that’s what Eden yearns for! And Gabe paints this picture while they’re going at it of having free time! It was great. But the chemistry was in general fantastic, hooking me in and making me giddy.

The final half-star goes to Eden’s family, who were warm and funny. Special mention to the surprise that comes along the way (though I honestly wasn’t all that surprised). It showed that families really are made up of lots of different parts and in many configurations. It was a nice message to see that biology wasn’t everything that made up a family.

Yup, I’m following Julie now. And I think I might go check out the previous books in this series if The First Time at Firelight Falls is anything to go by!

Excerpt

She was a devil woman.

“I’ll kiss anything you want me to.” He made it sound like a blood vow.

She gasped when he slid his hand up through her hair and held her fast. This time he went in for a take-no-prisoners kiss, designed to melt bones, stop time, erase the memories of all kisses that had come before, what-the-fuck-did-they-have-to-lose kind of kiss. Molten, savage, skillful. They were on the clock.

He was a guy who knew how to make a point, and he never half-assed anything. Clearly, neither did she. Silk, heat, tongue, lips—the taste of her roared through his bloodstream, tightened all his muscles.

He curled one hand into the edge of his desk, a reflex against floating up to the ceiling, because suddenly whatever boundaries he’d once had melted away. And damn, she gave as good as she got. It was a hot, deep, dangerous tangle of tongues, the slide of lips. When she moaned softly, low in the back of her throat, guttural, helpless pleasure, he slipped his hand from her hair and sank backward into his chair.

One second before the bell rang.

About Julie Anne Long

USA Today bestselling author JULIE ANNE LONG originally set out to be a rock star when she grew up (and she has the guitars and fringed clothing stuffed in the back of her closet to prove it), but writing was always her first love. Since hanging up her guitar for the computer keyboard, her books frequently top reader and critic polls and have been nominated for numerous awards, including the Rita, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice, and The Quills, and reviewers have been known to use words like “dazzling,” “brilliant,” and “impossible to put down” when describing them. Julie lives in Northern California.

Giveaway

Open to US shipping addresses only. Five winners will each receive a paperback copy of HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON by Julie Anne Long. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance. Giveaway ends 6/10/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted.